WE have residents who disagree with the proposed Highmoor Farm Digital Village, we have residents that want to protect this valuable piece of Heathland. We must grab this chance to object via the Dorset Heathland Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

To remind you, the master plan identifies land at Highmoor Farm as a location for a digital village where creative and digital industries will cluster close to the universities.

The area will be landscaped with buildings typically two or three storeys in height. This could generate 1,770 jobs – just think of the extra traffic through the village (possibly 300 extra vehicles journeys a day). The employment will be restricted to B1 uses that are appropriate in a residential area. What will happen if they can’t fill the premises with B1 users?

We wholeheartedly agree what Cllr Margaret Phipps, cabinet member for strategic planning for BCP, has to say.

“Heathlands are important and sensitive sites within the Dorset and BCP Council areas that we all want to preserve. As the population grows, a balance has to be struck against managing modern development and protecting these internationally renowned sites. We have a legal duty to safeguard our environment which is why this SPD is vital to ensure we are upholding our responsibilities.”

These are fine words, so BCP why allow this Digital Village to be built on our Talbot Village heathland? In these days of electronic communication, the cluster doesn’t have to be in our village, it could be built anywhere, there must be brown field sites in the area that could house this development. If the universities want this village clustered close to their existing operation, then it should be on their campuses.

Responses should be sent by email to planning.poole@bcpcouncil.gov.uk with the title of ‘Heathland SPD’ or by post to Strategic Planning, Growth and Infrastructure, Civic Centre, Poole, BH15 2NS. The feedback from the consultation will inform the final draft SPD to go to committee for adoption with the intention of replacing the current SPD on April 1.

Don’t sit on your hands You can respond by email.

GRAHAM TUFFIN

Chair, Talbot Village Residents Association/Neighbourhood Watch Talbot Meadows, Bournemouth